Foot bearing for shoes



1,634,116 June 1927' w. H. NICKERSON FOOT BEARING FOR SHOES Filed Jan. 13, 1926 Wm 17% Wax aw Q Patented June 28, 1927.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY NICKERSON, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOOT BEARING- FOR SHOES.

Application filed January 13, 1926. Serial No. 81,075.

' ing which includes an insole, and a molded layer being displaced and component parts of that it may be displaced. to permlt the re- Figure 8 is a section on line longitudinal arch supporter, preferably of steel, interposed between two layers formed by splitting the insole edgewise from its heel end through its shank portion. The split insole includes a bottom layer and a top layer, each integral with the fore part of the sole, said layers providing a pocketfor the reception of the arch supporter. The top layer, is flexible so that it is adapted to be conformed accurately by pressureof the foot upon it to the contour of the molded arch supporter, and to conform also to a resiliently compressible supplemental supporter for the metatarsal arch engaged with the forward end of the longitudinal supporter. The top layer is also displaceable so that difierently formed arch supporters ma be used interchangeably, or in other word s, in case 'an arch supporter of a given contour is unsatisfactory, another of a difi'erent contour may be substituted therefor.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, f

Figure 1 is a top'plan view of afoot hearing embed in the invention, the top layer 1 being disp ace and its free heel end portion broken away.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the top member in its operativepos'ition.

Figures 3 and 4 are to .views of two differently formedlongitu 'nal arch supporters.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 3. I

Figure 6 is a section onpline 6-6 of Figure 4. K

Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Figure 3.

8-8 of Figure 4:. I

Figure 9 shows the split insole in longitudinal section and by full lines, the top the shoe being shown, by dotted lines.

Figure 10 1s a view similar to Figure 9, showing also the longitudinal arch supporter without the metatarsal supporter, the top layer being in its operative position.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In carrying out my invention, I divide or split a full length insole edgewise from its heel end through its shank portion to form a bottom layer 12, a displaceable top layer 13,

and an undivided fore part 14 with which the layers 12 and 13 are integral. Each layer includes a heel portion and a shank portion. 15 designates a molded longitudinal arch supporter, preferably of sheet steel, interposed between the layers and coextensive lengthwise with the shank portions thereof. The top layer 13 covers the supporter 15, and is relatively thin and flexible so that it is adapted to be accurately conformed by the wearers foot to the contour of the supporter. Said contour may vary as indicated by the drawing, and its lon itudinal curvature may be such that its mi ength portion may be separated by a space 17 from the midlength portion of the bottom layer as shown by Figure 10.

I engage with the forward end of the longitudinal supporter, a supplemental supporter 18 for the metatarsal arch. The supporter 18 is of resiliently, compressible material,

such as soft vulcanized rubber or ordinary sponge rubber, and is preferably provided with convex top and bottom sides, the margin of the supporter bein preferably oval as shown by Figure 1. The rear end of I the sup orter 18 may be provided with a slit adapted to receive the forward end of the longitudinal supporter 15 as shown by Figure 2.

The forward portion of the top layer 13 Q conforms to the supplemental supporter 18 as shown by Figure 2.

The bottom layer 12 is preferably considerably thicker than the top layer 13, so that the bottom layer may be attached to a component part or parts of the shoe, some of said parts being shown by dotted lines in Figures 9 and 10. The top layer 13 is displaceable as indicated bg' Figure 9, to permit the insertion of the arc supporter 15 or the two supporters 1 5 and 18 between the layers. The top layer may be releasably secured in its operative position to the bottom layer by any suitable means, such as cement, so

moval of a previously inserted arch supporter and the" substitution of a difierently -or rivets 19, engaged with ment. The longitudinal supporter 15 may be secured at one or both ends to the bottom' layer 12, by any suitable means such as nails the supporter, passing through holes 20 therein, and engaged with the bottom layer.

I do not claim in this application'the subject-matter illustrated by Figure 10, said subject-matter being claimed in another application filed by me May 27, 1927, Serial N 0. 194,678 entitled Improvement in foot bearings for shoes.

a bottom layer, a displaceable top layer, and

an undivided fore part,'each layer including a heel and a shank portion; a molded lon- 'tudinal arch supporter integposed between t e layers, and a resiliently compressible sup plemental arch supporter engaged with the forward end of the longitudinal supporter and formed to support a metatarsal arch, the top layer covering and conforming to the two supporters. p

ln'testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

WILLIAM HENRY NICKERSON. 

